Time to end misogyny in the police

This week’s HMICFRS report is just the latest in a litany of examples of policing at best failing, at worst actively harming women. 

  • Every single female officer question had experienced or witnessed harassment or abuse from colleagues
  • Senior officers pursued women for sex, watched pornography on duty, and made misogynistic comments about victims of crime
  • Officers were cleared to join after committing offences such as robbery, indecent exposure, possession of controlled drugs, drink-driving, and domestic abuse related assaults

The report’s findings are shocking, but sadly not surprising. It follows from years of revelations which have destroyed what little trust women had left in police. 

  • Wayne Couzens shared misogynistic content with colleagues on a WhatsApp group, and had been accused of indecent exposure on at least two occasions, including three days before he murdered Sarah Everard – but wasn’t investigated.
  • Two officers took and shared selfies with the bodies of murdered sisters Nicole Smallman and Bibaa Henry.  
  • Hundreds of Met officers have been accused of domestic abuse, but no action was taken in the majority of cases. 
  • The IOPC found that Met officers had joked about rape, killing black children and beating their wives. 
  • Whistleblowers have spoken about police officers raping women they have arrested, and harassing victims.
  • Child Q was strip searched by police officers without her parents being notified, or an appropriate adult present

It is abundantly clear that there is a serious problem at the heart of policing. Piecemeal change, and toothless investigations will do nothing to change this. We urgently need a statutory inquiry, and a radical overhaul of policing. 

Will you sign to end this

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